Research Interests:

During my previous academic experience at MCV/VCU, research conducted in my laboratory was in the general area of immunotoxicology. I was well-funded with grants from NIEHS, NIDA, and the EPA, and I trained a number of doctoral candidates and postdocs, who remain active in immunotoxicology and toxicology in academics, and in both the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. My laboratory established a number of capabilities in mechanistic immunotoxicology, including the following: in vitro models to study the direct effects of drugs/chemicals on mouse and human immune cells, separation-reconstitution approaches to identify the primary cellular target(s) of immunosuppression with particular emphasis on B-cells, T-cells, and macrophages, co-culture of splenocytes and primary hepatocytes to study the role of metabolism in effects on the immune system, approaches to study the indirect effects of drugs/chemicals via damage to the liver and the role of immunomodulatory serum factors, and approaches to study the indirect effects of drugs/chemicals to produce immunosuppression or immunostimulation via an activation of the neuroendocrine system.

Throughout all of the subsequent stages of my career path (highlighted below), I have maintained an interest in immunotoxicology, including the importance of developmental immunotoxicity testing. My involvement with the chemical industry, and with a contract research organization (CRO), has enabled me to understand the importance of assessing the safety of chemicals, and both small- and large-MW drugs, from the perspectives of integrating immunotoxicology into regulatory guidance, and of understanding the challenges in establishing a predictive immunotoxicity testing framework.

As much of my career has been spent addressing scientific questions without a lab-based focus, it is also important to highlight some research interests outside of immunotoxicology. I have established a good working knowledge of the following: the importance of integrating hazard identification and exposure science into a risk assessment, the ability to apply a systems toxicology approach to understand how various pathways of toxicity can inform organ toxicity, notably hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, and the application of a mode-of-action approach to establish human relevance of nonclinical observations.

Having arrived at MSU, I will once again establish a laboratory focused on the immune system with particular attention on whether ingredients can contribute to the onset or progression of an allergic response. Outside of my lab-based activities, I will also apply my understanding of the mode-of-action, a systems toxicology approach, and pathways of toxicity to address questions associated with the safety of ingredients.

Selected Professional Activities:

Awards: Society of Toxicology (SOT) Achievement Award (1992), elected a Fellow in the Academy of Toxicological Sciences (ATS; 2007), Co-recipient of American College of Toxicology (ACT) President’s Award for best paper in International Journal of Toxicology (2008), Vos Award for Career Achievement in Immunoxicology (presented by SOT Immunotoxicology Specialty Section; 2009), Ambassador of Toxicology Award (presented by SOT Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter; 2014).